Crash of Moons
You may also be looking for the movie, Crash of Moons. ---- Summary The gypsy moons found in "Rocky's Odyssey" are back! Only now they are on a collision path with Ophiuchus! Rocky has to help the inhabitants of Posito move to Negato for safety, but Cleolanta decides to put an end to Posito before it endangers her planet! Someone's obviously going to get hurt! Chapter I Space Transport TR14 drops Vena, Bobby, and Professor Newton off on station OW9, where they hang out in the control center with Ranger Andrews. Meanwhile (and probably earlier), Rocky, Winky, and Secretary Drake land illegally on Ophiuchus in an attempt to invite Ophiuchus into The United Worlds. Cleolanta is indignant over thier presumption that her planet needs help from the United Worlds, and gives them one hour to leave Ophiuchun space! Our heros are left with no choice, and leave insulted and dejected. Safely aboard the trusty Orbit Jet, Winky feels the Ophiuchuns are stubborn, and Secretary Drake feels they are self sufficient instead. They contact station OW9 to report, and Vena pretends to be Ranger Andrews when they respond over the astrophone. Then it is Bobby's turn to fool the Orbit Jet, but he forgets to release the transmit button, and Rocky hears Professor Newton giggle over their joke. Professor Newton, Vena, and Bobby explain that they have arrived on OW9 to be within radio ciontact of the gypsy moons Posito and Negato (formerly seen in "Rocky's Oddesy") as they enter the solar system and pass by station OW9 - "Not close enough to wave, but close enough to talk." Rocky asks where the station will be in relation to the gypsy moons. Right between them! Professor Newton has overlooked the atmosphere chain that connects the two moons, and the station was not built for ANY external atmosphere! They are all in danger! Rocky wants Ranger Andrews to call the TR14 back, and remind Newton of the atmosphere chain. Professor Newton realizes his blunder and the dire danger he has put everyone into! But the TR14 is out of range, and Rocky seems too far away to help! They pour on the coal and cross their fingers! Posito and Negato, the gypsy moons, are joined together by an atmosphere chain, and spin much like a cheerleader's batton. The inhabitants have no idea where they are, because without a fixed point in space, they have no hard astronomy. Bavarro of Posito, and his wife Cotandra, see to their fussy son and future heir. The child seems sensitive to the approaching danger, (or could it be that he's uncomfortable living in a metal crib with all that lightning flashing around?). Bavarro wonders out loud if he will ever see Rocky Jones again, so that he can show off his son. (But enough foreshadowing!) Station OW9 is now able to pick up Posito and Negato on viseograph. Posito and Negato come sailing forward like two spooky cat's eyes! While Rocky on the Orbit jet can see the gypsy moons too, He is not close enough yet to see OW9. The OW9 station begins to be tossed about by the atmosphere chain. Furniture is more dangerous than you'd think! Rocky tries to contact OW9 and have them turn on their magnetic lock. At half thrust (presumably to soften the blow of contact) the Orbit Jet makes contact with the landing birth - and then at full power, the Orbit Jet pushes the OW9 station safely out of the atmosphere chain! On Posito and Negato, they noticed a slight disturbance in the atmosphere chain. But all must be well because the little prince has "the sleep of the happy!" OW9 seems structurally secure and Secretary Drake leaves its repairs in the capable hands of Ranger Andrews. On the Orbit Jet, Professor Newton explains the danger of the orbit of Posito and Negato. They could affect another space station, or a moon, or a planet! Vena and Bobby demonstrate spin cycles and are embarrassed when they run into Secretary Drake. Settling down, Vena and the Professor calculate the course of Posito and Negato. Rocky races on his way with his crew to contact the two moons as the Professor checks and rechecks his figures. Rocky contacts Posito and plans to land. Everyone is happy to meet again - all but Professor Newton, who must now explain that Posito's path will colide with Ophiuchus! On Posito, ever the good leader, Bavarro finds a way to compliment each of his guests. But he is naturally upset to learn that his home and way of life is about to be destroyed! Is there anything that can be done? Tune in next week to find out! Chapter II Professor Newton explains the situation to Bravaro. Bravaro is sorriful for the loss of his world, and is ready to wait for his eventual death. But Rocky suggests they move, rather than accept fate so casually. Bavaro feels that it may be too much to ask, and wonders if Rocky would be so casual if it were his planet? Rocky says the disaster cannot be prevented. He wants Bavaro and Secretary Drake to go to Negato and arrange the emigration. The Professor, Bobby, and Vena are to remain on Posito to coordinate the move. And Rocky and Winky will go to Ophiuchus to warn Cleolanta. On Ophiuchus, Atlasand prepars for an audiance with Cleolanta, and says good bye to his wife, Trinka, who regrets his personal ambitions. Atlasand prefers loyalty to Opiuchus over personal dreams and plans. Trinka is hungry for what is outside of Ophiuchus, and when Atlasand leaves, she monitors an illegal astrophone! Rocky and Winky try to contact Ophiuchus proper, or at least the Ophiuchus underground to send a warning of the approaching moons. Without a return contact, Rocky and Winky will have to land on Ophiuchus with their fingers crossed. Atlasand returns to Trinka to appologize for his words, but is outraged when he finds her using an illegal device! He drags her to Cleolanta, who interrogates her. Atlasand backs his Suzerain first! Cleolanta orders Atlasand to attack the landing Orbit Jet, and Trinka is forced to pull his own gun on him! When Atlasand refuses her threats, she turns the gun onto Cleolanta to stop the attack, begging them to listen to what Rocky has to say! Rocky and Winky land and approach the Arrakavar Degovernox. They hide and overtake Atlasand, and march him and his troops back to Cleolanta. The meeting on Negato has gone well, and Secretary Drake is pleased to report that Torvak will accept the Positons to his world. Rocky explains the evacuation to Cleolanta. She requests a private conversation, but like any good autocrat worth her salt, tricks Rocky and Winky into a room and gases them into unconsciousness! Cleolanta and Atlasand now make thier own plans! Assistant Lasvon fearfully reports that the charts Rocky have given them DO indicate that the moons will colide with Ophiuchus! Should they contact United Worlds for help? Atlasand suggests altering Posito's course earlier. Seeing that it could work, Cleolanta wants the moon altered sooner, and damned be the Positons if they're in their way! Atlasand goes to see Trinka, who is gassed asleep in another room, and explains the plan. For his reward of a successful mission, he will ask for Trinka's life. But Trinka pleads for the lives of the Positons! Atlasand, showing love and compassion for his wife, does not gas her back to sleep. Lasvon is on guard, and he thinks she is asleep. Atlasand leaves. Trinka sneaks out and revives Rocky and Winky. Trinka reports the situation to Rocky. Rocky needs to get to the Orbit Jet! Winky and Lasvon fight. And Rocky beats up an old Ophiuchun guard! They get the guards in the gas room with Trinka's help. Then they make their escape to the Orbit Jet and blast off! Can they make it in time? Stay tuned to find out! Chapter III Rocky, Winky, and Trinka race to catch up with Atlasand and Cleolanta in their Ophiuchun ship. Rocky considers the possibility that he might have to destroy the Ophiuchun ship to save Posito. ...Not a lot to do on a space ship but sit and wait... The little prince is upset again on Posito, and Professor Newton can find nothing wrong. Newton feels the child's intuition is affecting him more than anything else. Bobby's intuition tells him the prince is more worried about Rocky and Winky. Atlasand has second thoughts as he prepars to attack Posito with totanic missiles - but he follows orders... Rocky comes into range to contact and warn Posito - but he gets through just as the first deadly missile hits! Rocky sees the Ophiuchun ship and they prepare to attack to stop the bombardment of Posito. On Posito, Vena and Bobby go to help Cortanda, Professor Newton, and the little prince. Cortanda is trapped. Newton demands Bobby and Vena take the baby and go to the shelter. They dash through the bombed streets of Posito, and make it to the shelter entrance just before it collapses! Rocky and Winky move into position to attack the Ophiuchun ship. They knock out the ship's engines (just like they always do!). Atlasand overpowers Cleolanta and ties her up, then surrenders. Rocky and Winky head to Posito to assist. They find Cortanda and the Professor, who directs them to Vena, Bobby, and the prince. Once rescued and reunited, they work on Bavaro's magnetic ray to bring in the disabled Ophiuchun ship. Atlasand is proud of his wife and regrets his own acts, as Rocky prepares to bring them down to Posito. Negato contacts Posito, and Rocky reports to Secretary Drake. Once everyone is on Posito again, Cleolanta is upset that her world is doomed. Bravaro feels guilty. Rocky suggests they evacuate Posito as soon as possible and try Cleolanta's plan. But if it fails, then all available United World ships will have to be activated to help with the Ophiuchun evacuation! Rocky boards the Ophiuchun ship with Atlasand, Cleolanta, Professor Newton, and Trinka. Rocky shoots totanic missiles at Posito, but the missiles have no effect! They cannot alter the two moons path from colliding with Ophiuchus! Rocky will go ahead and coordinate the evacuation and keep the panic down. A much more cooperative Atlasand lands the ship on Ophiuchus. Lasvon sees his chance to escape as the Ophiuchun ship lands. The population of Ophiuchus try to take the ship! All seems lost to the mob until Trinka's voice comes over the intercom! All will be evacuated before the D-day of the 19th! The XV2, with Winky, Vena, and Bobby lands among the understandable tention on Ophiuchus. A lottery has been devised for the evacuation. Leaving Ophiuchus on the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th - with Atlasand and Trinka being on the last ship to lift off Ophiuchus - the Orbit Jet! As the XV5, XR7, XV10, and WO6 launch, Cleolanta sees her world leave and disappear a little at a time! Cleolanta, so dead set against change to her world, is willing to stay on Ophiuchus and die along with her beloved planet. Atlasand, out of his love for his Suzerain, picks her up and carries her struggling to the awaiting ship! (One wonders if Atlasand had to hog tie her and throw her over his shoulder and ascend the ladder with her as well!) In space, safe aboard the Orbit Jet, they watch the distruction of Ophiuchus by Posito! Professor Newton announces that this is the most exicting moment of his life! (Guess he's never been married...) Cleolanta finally sees Bravaro's point that the people, not the land, make up the country. She starts to believe in her cause again, and may turn out to be a better leader as a result of the help from Rocky Jones! End. Gallery Cast * Richard Crane as Rocky Jones * Sally Mansfield as Vena Ray * Robert Lyden as Bobby * Maurice Cass as Professor Newton * Bill Hudson as Ranger Clark * Patsy Parsons as Cleolanta * John Banner as Bovaro * Harry Lauter as Atlasand *Rand Brooks as Ranger Andrews *Maria Palmer as Cotanda *Nan Leslie as Trinka *Lane Bradford as Lasvon *David Bond as Torvak (uncredited) Crew *Directed by Hollingsworth Morse *Director of Photography Walter Strenge *Production Manager Dick L'Estrange *Supervising Editor Roy Luby *Edited by Fred Maguire *Photographic Effects by Jack R. Glass *Art Director McClure Capps *Casting Director Bill Tinsman *Sound by Chas. Althouse *Sound by Joel Moss *Script Supervisor Hazel W. Hall *Technical Advisor Dick Morgan *Technical Instruments Loren Sackett *Assistant Director Dick Moder *Costumes by Berman Costume Co. *Teleplay by Warren Wilson *Executive Producer Guy V. Thayer, Jr. *Associate Producer Arthur Pierson *Producer Roland Reed *Original Music by Alexander Laszlo (uncredited) *Produced in 1953 by Roland Reed Productions Inc. and Space Ranger Enterprises Trivia *This three part episode is copywritten 1953. *The announcer puts the word "The" before the title even though it is not on the title card. *Much of the original special effects footage from the "Rocky's Oddesy" episode is reused in this episode. *It is a good thing Professor Newton, Vena, and Bobby showed up on OW9, or Ranger Andrews would have been lost and never known what hit him and the OW9 station! *"Clanvinto" is Positon for "wonderful". *The baby prince is never given a name. *The baby prince is uncredited - which seems odd for how many close ups he gets! "If only you could talk", you would have gotten a credit... *Check out the fashionable Ophiuchun living room lawn furniture! *Some poor construction methods on Ophiuchus! As Rocky climbs the metal scaffolding outside the city gate, there is a noticable wobble! *If more than three guards had been called, Atlasand may have beaten Rocky and Winky instead of being forced marched back to Cleolanta! *Do Ophiuchuns know what "Hup, two, three, four" means? They could have thought they were being sworn at all the way back to Cleolanta! *Say! How did Rocky and Winky know Atlasand's name, anyway? Isn't this the first time they have ever met? *Some wall lights on Ophiuchus look remarkably like those on Fornax. *See Bobby and Vena react to a secondary explosion in the Positon control room that has no matching sound effect! *David Bond revisits his Torvak role as Negato ruler, even though he has no lines! *During the Ophiuchun riot scene, you will see more women on Rocky Jones at one time than in any other episode! *This is Cleolanta's last appearace in the Rocky Jones series. It is too bad Cleolanta did not continue into the second season. It would have been interesting to see what she did with her life after the loss of her planet Ophiuchus, and whether she turned her life, and her people, around. *This is Atlasand's last appearance in the series. Also a pity, as Atlasand seems to have taken a shine to the Space Rangers. It would have been interesting for him to have been the first Space Ranger trainee to join United Worlds from New Ophiuchus. *The "Crash of Moons" movie has Rocky Jones opening music and graphic card with the closing credits from episode three for the opening sequence. The closing credits are the end card and music from the series. The movie is available on DVD, streamline video, and on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Category:Episode